Foam
Aesha and Fountain Lizaro
Aesha swam around her four eggs and noticed the tremors were
getting more frenzied. Soon she would see her children and would almost
immediately leave them in the care of others. She could only hope that they
would find the same joy as she had with Meroka. Aesha thought about the waiting
candidates and felt herself relax. There was a girl from Dawn Cove, Viale who
she knew would return home, meaning at least one her children would be nearby.
Then there was Idris, a pale-green Dahkala from planet Kynn who though he acted
a bit prickly, was the sort she trust. The final two candidates were draconic, a
mudwing by the name of Sleetch and Korgym, a massive black sea dragon whose
title was scary but who was actually pretty accommodating in real life. At least
he'd been to her.
Aesha snapped her thoughts back to the present and alerted those who had not
noticed the disturbance that they should head to the bay immediately. Her heart
beats excitedly, her bubbly personality rising with the efforts of her children
to break free.
Not long after the candidates have arrived, with a few late spectators still
trying to get a decent spot, the first egg hatches and a bright blue wave female
jumps from the water. The hatchling does a couple of backflips and then heads
for Viale, the girl from Dawn Cove and offers her a little shell:
"For your collection."
Viale takes it and gives her new bond a kiss, "It's so pretty, just the
type I like. Thank you Rendiule."
Next a lighter coloured male lake pushes his head above the water. He
gives a light wave with his tail as his bond is not above water, but swimming
closer to the edge of the bay. His pale green skin with white stripes looks very
pretty and the fashion-sensitive lake cannot ignore it.
"I think you're the prettiest one around."
Danyron confides in his bond, "Can I stay with
you?"
A hiss from behind interrupts their bonding briefly as a dark orange female
nekrat makes herself known to the crowd. She rises from the water in a slow jump
and makes certain all have seen her before she heads to the only person around
that's worthy of her. Maybe to make it easier on his human companion, Korgym is
in his human form and standing waist deep in the water.
"Let's dive deep." Kivara demands,
"We are wonderful creatures of the ocean."
Korgym grins but equally demanding, tells her: "Later, my dear. Let us
first feast."
Five minutes pass, then ten and a worried Aesha searches for her last egg, only
to find that it has hatched and no hatchling emerged. Her mate, Lizaro supports
her and tells her: "Look dear, there is no
evidence of a hatchling here. Sometimes, they flee."
"But I wanted to see them." Aesha
whispers.
"Someday we might."
It is late in the night when a small shadowy figure speeds
through the bay waters. The brightly coloured orange nekrat male hid, too shy
and scared by all the gathered people, sea dragons and other entities. But
although he senses a presence in the waters nearby, this one does not frighten
him.
"I see you got left behind." a
warm female voice enters his mind.
"I wasn't." Gernoht says, "I
chose to hide."
"Well then. If you're as free as me. How about we
travel a bit together and see where life leads us?" the lone
Asandus Calamare Pudor suggests.
Gernoht considers the notion. He could stay and make his home in the reefs, keep
hidden and stay safe. But something about this sea-dragoness tells him that
she'll keep him safe. And he does not want to remain alone as he feels how
saddened Calamare has been because of it, despite her tough stance.
"I will. Call me Gernoht."
"Nice to meet you, I'm Calamare."
Viale
(f) and Wave Rendiule (f)
Idris
(m) and Lake Danyron (m)
Korgym
(m) and Pebble Kivara (f)
Calamare Pudor (f) and Coral
Gernoht (m)